Aeroplane.



E. 'F. GALLAUDET.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-25,1913.

7n 1 9 1 T- 6H |H b w 6 FR am 8 m 6 t a P E. F. GALLAUDET.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25.19I3.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 inventor: N).

A My

' nnson r. GALLAUDET, or nonwrcn, oonnncrrcrrr.

AEROPLANE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDSON F. GALLAUDET, a. citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the town of Norwich, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to flying machines of the aeroplane type, and more particularly to the construction of the body of such machines.

One object of the invention is to provide a body for a flying machine, of the usual monoplane or biplane type, which is of such shape and in which the operator as well as such parts of the operating mechanism and running gear as would if left exposed offer serious head resistance are both housed and sheltered so as to permit the flying machine to pass through the air with a minimum resistance.

A second object of the invention is to provide a body for a flying machine which will serve both as a fuselage, to support and inclose the operator and the operating mechanism, and as a hydroplane .boat.

With these objects in view one feature of my invention consists in providing a pisciform or torpedo-shaped fuselage which carries and supports the wings, the elevating and steering planes, the seat for the operator, and the operating mechanism and which, except for a cock-pit opening in'its upper side, is completely sheathed so as to inclose the body of'the operator, the engine, tanks, and other operating andcontrolling mechanism, thereby protecting the same and reducing to a minimum the head resistance of the machine.

Another feature'consists in giving to the body a flat bottom which is tilted or curved up to the nose in front and is carried straight back to a point near the'center of gravity of the machine where it is turned sharply upward to form a transverse setoif or step, such portion forming a hydroplane terminating clean and fiat at its rear end, from the-upper side of which step the bottom, flat or curved, extends back on an upward incline to the end of the tail. And still another feature consists in mounting the running gear upon the fuselage so that only the lower part of the wheels project below the body, and, when the machine is Specification of Letters Patent.

their rear ends and the Patented Feb. e, teat.

- .Application filed April 25, 1913. Serial No. 768,486.

intended for use as a hydroplane boat, in housing the upper part of the running gear in watertight trunks set into the flat hydroplane section of the bottom of the body.

The invention also comprises such other novel features of construction, arrangev ment, and combination of parts as are hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this speclfication and wherein 'I have illustrated a combined monoplane and hydroplane boat embodying the several features of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete machine; Fig. 2, a view of the same in side elevation Fig. 3, a front end viewof the same; 'Figs. 4 and 5, broken details, on an enlarged scale and partly in section, bowing in plan and side elevation, respectively, one specific 'way of mounting and housing within the bottom of the body; and Fig. 6, a sectional detail on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises, as its principal parts, the body B, and, suitably mounted thereon, the wings W W, elevating'planes E, rudder R, and propellers P.

The framework of the body B, of any suitable material but preferably steel tubing brazed at the joints, comprises suitable longitudinal tubes joined at intervals by vertical and horizontal transverse tubes to form a fuselage of pisciform or torpedo shape in its general outline. Instead, however, of following the curve of a strictly torpedo-shaped body the longitudinal bottom frame tubes downwardly and rearwardly are carried straight back for from the nose,

a short distance and terminate at a point near the lonthe running gear- 1 and 2, after curving too 6 (4 and 6 not shown) which, for, greater strength are extended forwardly. and joined to the fr ont sections at 7. The ,two sections of longitudinal tubes on one side are joined to the corresponding sections on the other side of the'bottom, the forward sections at rear sections at the point of intersection with the vertical tubes 3 and 4, by transverse bottom frame tubes indicated at 8 and 9. The sharp cutoff or step thus formed in the bottom divides opening left in the top-sheathing; Gal-' fvanized iron 10'.

tom and the sides c is preferably used for sheathing the hydroplane front section of the botthe water-line, indicated by the brokenline 16 16 in Fig. 2, to give the covering of these v parts the strength necessary to withstand the impact andpressure of the water upon 'alighting and when traveling thereon. The

bottomsheathing is cut away between the transverse bottom frame tubes 17 and 18,

if which are joined on each side pf the body two longitudinal one shown). suitable wheels 22 and 23 carried at the op mountedfupon whicheare alike on both sides passingaround pins 27 set open ends of inverted U-shaped straps or ,saddles 28 secured to the which the wheel proper alinement.

by an inner. longitudinal tube 19, tolform Within these openings two posite ends of an axle 24 are ,-'the fuselage. The mountings for the axle,

is yieldingly secured to the inner longitudinal frame tube 19 underneath by rubber-band springs 26 across the lower block and pins 29 set across the open upper ends ,of similar straps or saddles 30 secured to the frame tube (see Fig. 5), is journaled at its end is pivoted in a lug 33 secured to the transverse bottom frame tube 17 and by on each side is held in nountings are covered. byxa trunk 34 and the axle by a transverse connecting tunnel 35 of inverted U-shape in cross sectlom'and these trunks and tunnel, preferably of galvanizedsheet lIOIl, aresecured to the bottom sheathing b-y'means of a channel-piece 36,

which, fitted around the edges of the openings' therein and embracing parts of the longitudinal and trans verseframe tubes 1, 2, '17, 18, and 19, has its lower flange 37 riveted or otherwise secured with su table gasket joint to the bottom sheathing and its upper flange 38 bolted to a corresponding flange 39-'around the lower edge of the trunks and tunnel, and unite to form over the running gear a single inverted-waterpoo.

,tected and their tight casing which in effect is a part of and constitutes an offset in the bottom sheathing of the body. The wheels are further proresistance to passage through the water reduced by plow-shaped I shieldsor deflectors 40 and 41 which, ex-" tending around the front and back. along Y the sides preciated. The engine,

up' to and Slightly above through the air side openings 20 (only of the machine, comprise a .block 25,- which bears against the upper side of the axle and running-gear will form the water from rising toiany appreciable exanda link-bar .31, which rear end 32 upon the end of the axle outside the wheel and at its front .rately. For example, Each wheel, and its of each ofthe openings in which the wheels are mounted, are secured to and project downwardly from the bottom Q sheathing. J

The advantages of a flying machine constructed according to my invention as here illustratedand described will readily be ap-.

tially allof the operating and controlling mechanism and the running gear, as wellas the operator, and thereby both protected from and pre- "vented from offering resistance to the air,

while t'hebody itself is so shaped as to pass with a minimum resistance.

The machine, by'reason of the running gear provided, can be-us edon land as an ordinary flying. machine. The body also serves as a boat and its forward hydroplane section, when the machine is at rest, will float in the water submerged only'to the water-line indicated while its tail section will remain clear of the "water; and, when its engine is started, the bottom of the body will rise to I and skim along thesurface of the water with little resistance, particularly as the air confined Within the inverted casing over the a cushion and keep tent 7 within the casing and the outside shields will deflect the water from the wheels. The machine can thus with ordinary power be driven upon the water with great rapidity and easily made to rise therefrom. whenever desired.

While in, the .machine shown and described by way of illustration I have united th'e'se'veral features of: my invention in a single structure, it will be understood that such features may, if desired, be used sepawhen the machine is to be used only over land, the step in the bottomand the casing over the running gear can be omitted, and in a machine designed solely as a hydroaeroplane it is obvious that no running gear is necessary. The features of the invention can also be modified in theirvarious details, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or. sacrificing the advantages thereof. It is also-to be understood that the term pisciform as used in the foregoing specification and in the following claims is used to' define a fuselage or body, shaped substantially as shown in the drawings, in

which a relatively short and thick body portion tapers both forward and back on more or less curved lines, regularly and tanks, and substanare located within the body r cock-pit opening for out except'for a cock-pit operatorin and hydroplane opposite sides thereofbetween streamline form which is inclosed throughopening for the its upper side and-within which the engine, fuel-tank, and substantially all of the operating and control mechanismare mounted, a single pair of transversely eX- tended wings mounted on opposite sides of the body between the upper side and the .center of gravity thereof, control planes mounted at the tail, prising wheels yieldingly framework center of gravity wardly through openings than half their diameter.

2. In a flying and running gear comand projecting downin its bottom less machine, a combined body boat of stream line form throughout except for a the operator in its flat bottom curving which is inclosed upper side andhasa downwardly from the nose and extending rearwardly and downwardly to a point well forward of its longitudinal center where'it terminates in a transverse rearwardly fac ing step and from thetop of the step a bottom extending rearwardly on an upward incline to the tail, and which carries an engine, fuel tank, and other operating and control mechamsm mounted therein'so to bring the center of gravity within thebody nearly above the transverse step in its bottom, and a single pair of wings mounted on its upper side and center of gravity. I

3. In a flying machine, a c'ombined'body and .hydroplane boat which is inclosed throughout except for a cock-pit opening for the operator in its upper side, which is so shaped and carries wings so mounted thereon and an engine; fuel tank, and other operating andrcontrol mechanism so mount-,

ed therein asto'bring the center of gravity of the machine within the body well forward of its longitudinal'center, and which I has a flat bottom curving downwardly from the nose and extending downwardly to ter of gravity where it terminates in a transverse rearwardly facing step, providing a:

hydroplane surface beneath a relatively short body portion of the body, and from the top ofthe step a bottom ward of its longitudinal center where it terminates in a transverserearwardly fac ing'step, providing a. hydroplane surface beneath its relatively short ,body portion,

mounted upon the" within the body forward of its,

' tion and rearwardly and a point nearly belowv the cenincline beneath and from the top of the step a bottom extending rearwardly and on an upward incline to the tail, and anengine,fueltank, and other operating and control mechanism mounted within the body so as to bring the center of gravity of the'machine within the body substantially above the transverse, step in its bottom, and wings mounted upon-the'body on opposite sides thereof with their centers 10f pressure substantially above the center of gravity of the machine. v s

' 5. lnaflying machine, acombinedbody and stepped bottomed hydroplane boa-t which is provided with running gear comprising one or more wheels yieldingly mounted upon the framework'within the'body forward of the step so that less than half the wheel.p ro ects formed'therein and covered with an invertedwateratight casing joined to the bottom.

6. In a flying machine, a

propelling and control mechanism, which near its longitudinal center of gravity has a transverse rearwardly facing step dividing "its bottom into a flat forwardly and upwardly extending front portion and a rearwardly and upwardly extending rear porwhich .is, provided with running vgear comprising wheels mounted upon the framework f the body in front of the transverse step and extending downwardly through openings formed in the bottom and apisciform framed on its bottom and y facing step from the top ofwhich it extends rearwardly with an upward incline to the end of'the tail, and which'is provided with a running gear comprising wheels mounted upon the framework in verse step and projectingdownwardly substantially to the level of the lower edge 0 thestep through openings providedtherefor in the bottom sheathing and closed by water-tight inverted trunks per portions of the wheels. I

- 8. In a flying machine, a combined body and boat which is provided with running gear comprising one or more wheels, each mounted within an open-bottomed watertight recess formed in the bottom of the body and guarded j'ecting plow-shaped deflector.

9. lna flyingmachine, body which isvs'heathed on its bottom and sides, the bottom being curved downwardly and rearwardly from the nose and then carfront of the transby a downwardly pro-' below the bottom through an opening covered with an inverted water-tight casing downwardly from covering the upa pisciform framed r 85 framed "pisci-' I form boat body, adapted to carry wings and t0 the end of the tail,

ried Hat and straight-to a point hear the al center of gravity of themach ne Where-it is deflected sharply upward form-a transverse which it extends back downwardly through for in the :bottom sheathing, the said open ings being trunks cOVeringthe upper portions of the wheels and guarded in front and at the sides by downwardly projecting plow-shaped deflectors.

. In presence of t MAYF EVERT, WM." WHITNEY.

closed watertight inverted v v E SON RGALLAUDET. 

